help! Write off at 17! Ouch

MercilessKiller

Thank you

My birthday is going to be spent at work and at home most likely sorting out things with the car.

May delay celebrations a few days where I go to Dublin. Much needed break. Shame I'll have to spend less due to recent car events lol!

Thanks again!

MarkyMarkD

Merciless

There are a few things in your posts which concern me.

1. The insurance of the car

If I was Frizzell, I would be refusing to pay the claim AT ALL as you have a car which is blatantly 100% your own, but is insured in (presumably) your parents' name with you declared as an occasional driver.

THAT'S FRAUD and it's not right! If you are quizzed about the nature of your driving of the car *which you've admitted is your birthday present* then you are in danger of being uninsured.

Apart from changing the main driver to yourself, you should be insuring the vehicle in the right name (yours).

2. Your view of your driving

Whatever the muppet in the Land Rover says, there's absolutely NO WAY that this accident was his fault. He stopped - albeit quickly - and you could not stop because you were driving too close.

Whether he's got "super dooper ABS" or whatever makes not a jot of difference - you should not drive so close that you can't stop in the space available.

Things can happen to other cars which cause them to stop instantly - if their gearboxes jam up in some way, for example. For your own safety, don't drive so close!

MercilessKiller

ok two things mark:

First of all, the car is a 2000 W model. It is my mums car. It is a birthday present, but my birthday is on wednesday. That day she gets a new car as well thus the car will be mine but for the moment we are both driving it. Me more recently but was switching soon

So please don't accuse me of fraud.

Secondly, yes i understand it was my fault for driving too close, however at the time you would realise that it didnt exactly look like I was that close. I know physically I had to have been, but I was at as far a distance any car would be to anyone in the fast lane when it's busy. Was not at all "right up his !!!!!!". But yes I understand that I was still too close due to the fact that his car had a lot better brake power than mine and that should have been conisdered but wasn't.

You know you could word things a lot nicer

MarkyMarkD

Ok - the fact you called it "my car" in every single post must have slightly confused me. And you didn't say it was your birthday present which you hadn't yet received. I'm glad to hear that you won't get any gyp from Frizell on that count.

The fact that "everyone" drives too close doesn't make it a good idea! I'm just concerned about your ongoing safety if you constantly drive too closely to stop if the vehicle in front stops "on a sixpence".

MercilessKiller

I do like to think its my car even though not officially till wednesday. What other 17 year old wouldn't And afterall, i'm not talking about "your car" hehe.

As for the everyone drives too close, i know it doesnt mean I should, it just means I was a bit peed off as it had to be me the one who suffered the consequence meanwhile hundreds/thousands of people do it everyday without problems. I must have done about over 5,000 miles so far since i've been driivng, most on the motorway, so am still a little hmmm

Thank you for your concern And a much nicer post

Savvy_Sue

I don't know where you're going to Uni, or where you will be living, but be aware that if you are heading for a campus university and living on campus you will be jolly lucky to be able to park your car on campus. Parking is usually at such a premium that they do not issue permits to those already living there, unless you have a disability or some other compelling reason for needing a car. That's another reason why many students don't have cars in their first year.

Have you done PassPlus? If you haven't, it may be worth doing, partly to improve your confidence. Also some insurers offer a discount when YOU insure a car in your own name - not if you're being added to someone else's policy.

You probably know it's often worth adding your parents to your own policy, if they have a good record, as that can bring prices down.

MercilessKiller

I have done pass plus yes.

Also, the car parking feature is included in the price of my hall of residence at staffordshire university which is on campus. Due to this I do not have to worry about parking premiums etc...

I will let my father investigate premium costs, but I will let him know what you siad thank you.

This is all rather much for me at the moment thank you for your kind help.

Savvy_Sue

MercilessKiller wrote:

As for the everyone drives too close, i know it doesnt mean I should, it just means I was a bit peed off as it had to be me the one who suffered the consequence meanwhile hundreds/thousands of people do it everyday without problems.

I daresay they do, but a few of them drive too close, and then either DIE or kill others in the process, so please, without wanting to scare you even more, try not to be one of the lemmings and keep your distance when you've got your wheels back again? We'd all be very grateful if we're on the road at the same time and place as you, although not half as grateful as your family!

Actually, I like the lane markings on French motorways which actually show you how many lines you should be able to see between you and the car in front in order to be at a 'safe' distance.

Savvy_Sue

Well I'm glad the parking on campus isn't a problem - for some reason not everyone realises before they arrive that it will be!

And Bennifred is right, you will make new friends at Uni, and dashing home too soon or too often isn't always a good idea.

Best of luck, please don't take my immediately previous post in the wrong spirit! Off to bed now, all the best!

PS just another thought: could you ask your driving instructor for another refresher lesson if you think that would help confidence. I'm off the road for medical reasons right now, and plan to ask my son's instructor to take me out before I hit the road again!

MercilessKiller

Yes I think line markings on roads would help a LOT! I always keep 2 triangle thingys away when they appear but its rare to see them!

I was keeping quite a distance. That's shocked me even more as I thought I was at sufficient.. but I thought wrong!!!! I suppose its an expensive lesson. Wish it was a "near crash" cheaper lesson though!